NCOC rejects railways' proposal to resume train service

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) meeting on Wednesday rejected the proposal of Pakistan Railways’ to partially resume train service from May 10, ARY News reported.

According to details, chief ministers of all four provinces have rejected the recommendation of resuming the train operation partially. The proposal was put forward by Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed in the NCOC meeting held in Islamabad with Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Asad Umar in the chair.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has proposed multiple recommendations to ease lockdown restrictions in the country which were imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The recommendations include the opening of phase-II of the construction sector, reopening of retail outlets and operationalization of selective outpatient departments in Islamabad.

Sources said the provinces also rejected the proposals of resuming public transport and intercity bus service across the country. It was agreed in the meeting that shopping malls will remain closed across the country, while shops will remain open from 8 am to 5 pm.

The participants of the meeting also proposed the closure of all shops after Iftar.

The meeting also decided to bring no change in the SOPs for the religious congregations in the second half of the holy month of Ramazan. The final decision on the proposals presented by the provinces will be taken in a meeting of NCC.

It may be noted that Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) tomorrow to take a final decision on easing lockdown restrictions in the country.

The meeting would be attended by chief ministers of all the provinces where a consensus would be developed on easing coronavirus lockdown country-wide.